Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to power diverters and more specifically to an adjustable two-input power diverter that provides unitary transformation of two input signals thereby conserving total power.
2. Background of the Invention
Fixed power dividers are known in the art. A power divider typically is used to divide an input signal into two output signals which are equal or unequal. A programmable or adjustable power divider (hereinafter called a power diverter) may be used as part of an adaptive nulling system. Present power diverters include active circuitry or attenuators, which lead to spurious signal generation or degradation of noise figure. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a power diverter that does not introduce spurious signals and which does not provide a degradation of noise figure.
A power diverter is presented. The power diverter includes a first ninety-degree hybrid having one output coupled to an adjustable positive phase shifter and another output coupled to a negative adjustable phase shifter. The outputs of the phase shifters are provided to an output ninety-degree hybrid. The absolute value of the phase shift provided by the positive phase shifter and the negative phase shifter is the same. The circuit can be provided comprising only analog linear components such that no spurious signals are introduced, and the circuit is impedance matched on all ports such that no degradation of noise figure is introduced. The power diverter can also be configured as a programmable tap of a delay line. The circuit also preserves total power.